Shifter bushings

eyebrowski · May 16, 2004

I just did this mod after reading this thread in 5 mins

I went to walmart and bought a MINI skateboard (the 2Xs) for $4.88 which came with 8 bearings (which were called 608Z bearings). I removed the old bushings with some pliers and slipped the new ones on. Perfect fit and didnt even need to modify them for the cotter pins to fit.

talontsiawd · May 16, 2004

Remember that the cheap skateboards come with very cheap bearings. Much more worth your while to find a skateboard/rollerblade shop that will sell you acouple of good once for $2 or so.

talontsiawd · May 16, 2004

One more thing, are you guys using one or two bearings for each? I will probably do this tommorrow since i have about 5 sets of bearings. Also, anyone in my area is welcome to pick some up. Just pm me but i really don't want to ship since postage is about what they are worth.

sportz95gst · May 18, 2004

so do you need 2 or 4 bearings for this ????

eyebrowski · May 18, 2004

I only used one...I dont see any real disadvantage in only using one since the bearing takes up the whole space for the most part.

green92gsx · May 22, 2004

Well I'm giving my formal apology to Dan for blowing up on him.
I'm sorry and I know it wasn't called for. Shame on me

But the thing that lit my fuse was this mod was supposed to be the poor man way of doing the underhood bushings. Instead of buying the brass inserts.

I found it ironic that he would sell them as the replacement for the brass inserts.

Yes, using the bearings is something that is somewhat common knowledge in the DSM community,

I have never heard or seen anyone using or even speaking of this mod within the last 4 years. If it is common knowledge why did it just blow up lately? Anyway, I don't care anymore. Search ebay or the trader everybody is trying to sell them now from $20-$35.

Like I said, I apologize for my actions.

Unregistered · May 22, 2004

green92gsx said:
I have never heard or seen anyone using or even speaking of this mod within the last 4 years. If it is common knowledge why did it just blow up lately? Anyway, I don't care anymore. Search ebay or the trader everybody is trying to sell them now from $20-$35.

Like I said, I apologize for my actions.

I'd never heard of it, either, but when I posted a thread about this thread on the local dsm board one of the local DSM experts said that he's had a bag of skate bearings sitting around for quite a while, putting them to this use. It's knowledge that was out there, but not everybody was in the know.

thimages · May 23, 2004

Hint:

Search the NABR Tech forums

Hal

Traxx · May 30, 2004

Whether Mach V rips these out of a package and mails them, or welds them together nicely and spends a little bit of time on them, I don't care.

They are a vendor, we all get our racing parts from vendors, what is so wrong with them selling another part for our cars?

If everyone <who is complaining> is so awesome why don't you all weld your own intercoolers and say screw vendors all together?

I'm thankful that a company like Mach V is offering as many useful parts for our cars as they are. They could offer just the basic parts and nothing more, but they don't - they offer many different small helpful parts like these. I think that is great and I'm very appreciative, but if people are so upset over a $10 difference why don't they all just go picking up change off the sidewalk if that chump change is such a big deal to them.

/end of rant

talontsiawd · May 30, 2004

Traxx said:
Whether Mach V rips these out of a package and mails them, or welds them together nicely and spends a little bit of time on them, I don't care.

They are a vendor, we all get our racing parts from vendors, what is so wrong with them selling another part for our cars?

If everyone <who is complaining> is so awesome why don't you all weld your own intercoolers and say screw vendors all together?

I'm thankful that a company like Mach V is offering as many useful parts for our cars as they are. They could offer just the basic parts and nothing more, but they don't - they offer many different small helpful parts like these. I think that is great and I'm very appreciative, but if people are so upset over a $10 difference why don't they all just go picking up change off the sidewalk if that chump change is such a big deal to them.

/end of rant

The main thing is that people come up with creative ideas and all the sudden other people are selling them. It make me not want to post things when i figure out little "tricks" that are cheap. People post this info to help others do a cheap mod, not so companies can steal their idea and sell it. They are also about $1 a piece so $20 is outragous, especially because he isn't using ultra high quality bearings. At cost to him, each bearing is probably about 25 cents. The main reason it angers people is the ethical issue of taking someones idea and capitalizing on it. Not that i want to rekindle the arguement, but it seems like people aren't getting that idea.

Sorry to get off topic.....Anyways, i did this to my car since i have tons of bearings laying around and it work too well for me. The shifter is almost too easy to move. It doesn't have enough resistance. I think i am going to change it back with windo weld or something to make them stiffer but still have a bit of resistance so my shifter feels more solid and less flemsy.

jmakado · May 30, 2004

agreed^^^^. it's for dsm'ers to share free/low cost ideas to help everyone. not so a vendor can get extra profit.......ya know, what if someone started selling water or air? you can get that stuff for free.....oh wait, they already do

anyway, i have another one that is great!! i'm sure it has been around forever but a buddy told me about it at the track last week.
their is a bracket under the hood, about 6-8" up from the "free bearing area". it is attached to the block (i think, didn't look to much).
pull that bracket and replace the rubber washers with metal washers and put it back together. before you do it, pull on the bracket a little. it feels like it's not even attached. after, it won't move at all! the shifter becomes MUCH more firm.
this is a PITA though! it will frusterate you beyond belief to do. do yourself a favor and remove your UICP, intake assy., and all hoses in the area. this will make it way easier to access the bracket. don't attempt to attach the bracket with no new washers. the bolts are to long and won't fit.
it's well worth it.......enjoy!
attn. mach V: you can probably sell this one with the bearing "kit" for $50 and really make a killing!

sportz95gst · Jun 1, 2004

i did the bearing mod and i love it. my friend with an 2gnt was wondering if they fit his car, does anyone know if they fit non turbo's ? i know the shifter plate bushings do.

AngryScientist · Jun 1, 2004

a buddy of mine came up with an idea to replace to bushings on the arm the shifter actually pivots on. We just got some bearings that are a tiny bit too small so that when you tighten it down they "press" on. Replaced all the shifter base bushings with hi performance 1$ washers from home depot. while this doesnt address the shifter cable bushings, it definatly improves shifter feel. Symbroski is doing the same thing, selling glorified washers for more than 1$.

Traxx · Jun 2, 2004

Alright, I see your point talontsiawd and I must say I agree with you

I retract my previous statement

Nanan · Jun 2, 2004

Well damn, I wish I would of seen this post last week. I ended up machining some bushings out of brass.

Keaka26 · Jun 2, 2004

According to the guy above, the bearings made them shift too easily, so your bushings might be better in some ways.

Plus you can say that you actually made them, I like the feeling of making stuff for cars.

eyebrowski · Jun 2, 2004

I have the bearings installed and I dont know if shifting too easy exists. It's not like a short throw kit that will make you miss shifts...

TsiBaron · Jun 3, 2004

Ok someone help me here, you have to think about what I'm asking. I ordered the two "bearing" parts off a guy, very cheap (ironic I found this thread) . However this will only address one of my two shifter problems...........mainly what about the OTHER bushings on the tranny end of the shifter cables?? Look in the pic on the first page of this thread, the cable on the "upper" side pivots- the upper side will have the bearing I just bought installed. However the "lower" part is a rod that fits into a slot on a fitting on the transmission. This basically moves up and down and gives you your "side to side" feel in your shifter. My problem?? I bought my car in parts and of all things whatever bushings were in that part were lost. So the rod that fits into that slot has alot of slop in it. Where do I find the bushing that goes on that rod?? I made one out of plastic but its already gone. Was there supposed to be a brass washer type thing there?? I've assembled 3 DSM's and for the life of me I can't remember what went in there!!

eyebrowski · Jun 4, 2004

Are you talking about on the shifter itself? There is a black plastic one on that.

TsiBaron · Jun 4, 2004

No on the transmission side, the rod one the shifter arm fits into a slot on a fitting on the transmission. If you look at any DSM you'll know what I'm talking about.

Shifter bushings

eyebrowski

talontsiawd

talontsiawd

sportz95gst

eyebrowski

green92gsx

Unregistered

thimages

Traxx

talontsiawd

jmakado

sportz95gst

AngryScientist

Traxx

Nanan

Keaka26

eyebrowski

TsiBaron

eyebrowski

TsiBaron

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